Senate Democrats are challenging Republicans' description of a strong economy, pointing to higher consumer prices, gasoline costs and weak September job growth in a statement ahead of the November elections.
The Senate Democratic Caucus statement argues that households are struggling with the cost of living. It is a partisan assessment, not a new economic report; several figures it cites come from federal data and previously published news accounts.
What the latest figures show
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that its consumer price index rose 0.6% in September and 3.7% over the prior 12 months. Gasoline prices rose 9.1% during the month, accounting for more than half of the overall monthly increase. Food-at-home prices rose 1.8% over the year, slower than the overall index.
The September employment report found that employers added 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate was 4.2%. Those figures describe national conditions; they do not by themselves establish whether a particular administration policy caused the changes.
The caucus also cited gasoline prices near $4.33 a gallon nationally and reports of pressure from health care and tariffs. AAA's Oct. 15 update put the national average near that level, though prices vary by market. The caucus used those figures to argue that Republican economic promises have not translated into relief for many households.
A political argument before the midterms
The release assembled excerpts from news organizations and research groups rather than announcing legislation or a new government program. Its claims that the economy is “cratering” and that Republicans have “done nothing” are the caucus's characterization, not conclusions established by the price and job figures alone.
The inflation measure tracks the average change in prices, not every household's bill. Likewise, one month's hiring figure does not describe all employment conditions. The data show that costs and job growth are central to the parties' election-year dispute, while the causes and proposed remedies remain matters of policy debate.
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